To what extent has biodiversity been depleted around the Bay of Naples? Has species loss been offset by the arrival of new species? Environmental specialist Mark Walters examines these and other notions of environmental management, such as biodiversity, sustainability and environmental impact, to analyze Pompeii and the Bay of Naples from A.D. 79 to the present. In addition, he identifies various bird species depicted on frescoes and shares current information about their abundance in Pompeii today. From previous vegetation studies of Roman peristyle gardens, he deduces what birds may have been singing there two thousand years ago and reconstructs a Pompeiian dawn chorus.

About Mark Walters
Italy-based Mark Walters read Classics at Cambridge and earned a masters of science degree in environmental management from the University of London. A specialist in present-day environmental quality and bird monitoring in southern Italy, Walters' current project investigates the scientific and literary evidence for biodiversity and environmental quality around the Bay of Naples around the first century A.D. Besides his active involvement in environmental education courses in southern Italy, Mark also lectures on Mediterranean civilizations and environment to members of the American Association for the Advancement of Science on study programs in Italy, Greece and France.

Planning your visit
The Getty Villa and its galleries are open to the general public from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. With your program ticket, you may arrive up to one hour prior to the start time of the program. For earlier arrival, a separate general admission ticket is recommended. The auditorium opens at 1:30 p.m. and seating is on a first-come, first served basis. The Cafe is open for lunch service from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

How to Get Here
The Getty Villa is located at 17985 Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, California, approximately 25 miles west of downtown Los Angeles. See Hours, Directions, Parking for directions and parking information.